Books
In general, giving a book as a gift is a great idea. However, do not make a gift of a book unless you have actually read a copy (and enjoyed it) yourself.
If you enjoy a book, then giving others the opportunity to enjoy it too is a wonderful gift.
Remember, your choice of gift says a lot about you so ensure the subject matter is not offensive to the recipient.
Book retailers such as Amazon, W H Smiths and other online bookstores have great discounts and will even giftwrap and send the book directly to the recipient but will send the receipt to you, making the whole process of buying a book as a present remakably easy and enjoyable.